Milk sphingolipids: towards joint effects on lipid metabolism, intestinal health and gut microbiota

This presentation will focus on recent preclinical and clinical studies highlighting that polar lipids of the milk fat globule membrane, including sphingolipids, beneficially impact lipid metabolism and metabolic disease risk. We will highlight possible mechanisms, such as those related to the impact of milk lipids in the gut. This includes residues of sphingolipids, which can reach the colon and exert effects of physiological interest notably by interacting with the gut microbiota and contributing to gut barrier function. Buttermilk, a dairy product poor in triacylglycerols but particularly rich in polar lipids including sphingolipids, could thereby be an asset ingredient for human nutrition.